Echoes of the Alley

40 - Building Bridges

The morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the disarrayed living room. Blankets were scattered everywhere, along with half-empty bowls of snacks and the faint smell of popcorn from last night's movie marathon. The sleeping bags spread across the floor were a stark reminder of the group's temporary arrangement—eight people crammed into an apartment meant for four.

Minho stirred first, stretching lazily in his sleeping bag before glancing around. Jisung was still curled up on the couch, his cheek pressed against the pillow in a way that made him look almost peaceful. Almost. Minho frowned slightly, his thoughts lingering on Jisung's struggles.

The others began waking up gradually, groaning and stretching as the sunlight crept further into the room. Felix sat up first from his spot beside Changbin, running a hand through his messy hair. His cheeks flushed slightly as he caught Changbin looking at him, but he quickly looked away, mumbling a soft, "Morning."

"Morning," Changbin replied, his voice low and still rough with sleep. He sat up, his gaze lingering on Felix for a moment longer than necessary before stretching and pulling himself fully upright.

The apartment buzzed with quiet chatter as everyone began to stir. Jeongin and Seungmin argued about who had stolen the most blanket space during the night, while Chan tried to herd them all toward the kitchen for breakfast.

"Coffee first," Hyunjin grumbled, shuffling toward the counter like a zombie. "I'm not dealing with you people uncaffeinated."

Minho stayed where he was, leaning back on his elbows as his gaze shifted to Jisung. "Hey, you awake?" he asked softly.

Jisung stirred, blinking groggily. "Barely."

"Come on, lazy. Breakfast," Minho said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. But there was something softer in his tone, something that didn't go unnoticed by Jisung.

—
After a quick breakfast, Chan clapped his hands together, gathering everyone in the living room. "Alright, plan for today—coffee run, then a little light rehearsal in the afternoon."

"Light rehearsal?" Seungmin asked, raising an eyebrow. "Since when?"

"Since we all agreed to take it easy for once," Chan replied. "But first, coffee. There's a café Jeongin's been raving about."

Felix glanced at Changbin, hesitating. The memory of their conversation last night still lingered in his mind, and he wasn't sure he could handle being in a crowded café with everyone just yet. As the group began gathering their things, Felix tugged on Changbin's sleeve.

"Hey, I think I'm gonna stay back," Felix said softly.

Changbin's brow furrowed. "You sure?"

"Yeah," Felix said, offering a small smile. "I just... need some time. You can go if you want."

Changbin hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "I'll stay too. Someone's gotta keep you company."

Felix's cheeks flushed, but he didn't argue. Instead, he nodded, glancing away to hide the faint smile tugging at his lips.

—
The others filed out of the apartment one by one, Chan herding the stragglers toward the door. Jeongin waved dramatically as he followed Hyunjin out. "Don't burn the place down while we're gone!"

"We'll try," Changbin called back, closing the door behind them. The apartment fell into silence, the sudden stillness both comforting and unnerving.

Felix lingered near the couch, fidgeting with the hem of his hoodie. Changbin watched him for a moment before stepping closer. "You okay?"

Felix nodded, though his eyes betrayed his uncertainty. "Yeah. Just... I don't know. Last night's been on my mind."

Changbin gestured toward the couch. "Come on. Let's talk."

Felix hesitated before sitting down, his hands clasped tightly in his lap. Changbin sat beside him, his presence steady and grounding.

The silence stretched between them for a moment before Changbin spoke. "About last night... I meant what I said. I like you, Felix. And I don't want you to feel like you have to run away from me."

Felix's breath hitched, his cheeks flushing as he looked down at his hands. "I just... I didn't think you'd feel the same. I thought I'd ruin everything."

Changbin reached out, his hand resting gently on Felix's. "You didn't ruin anything. Felix, you're... amazing. You always put everyone else first, and you're always so genuine. How could I not like you?"

Felix blinked, his chest tightening at Changbin's words. "I... I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Changbin said, his voice soft. "But I want you to know that I'm here. For whatever this is, for however long it takes. No pressure, okay?"

Felix nodded, a shy smile breaking through. "Okay."

For a moment, they sat in silence, the air between them warm and comfortable. Felix glanced at Changbin, his heart swelling with something he couldn't quite put into words. "Thank you," he said softly.

Changbin smiled, his hand giving Felix's a gentle squeeze. "Anytime."

—
When the rest of the group returned later that afternoon, the apartment buzzed with energy again. The light rehearsal Chan had promised turned into a brainstorming session that carried well into the evening, leaving everyone too tired to go back to their own apartments.

"Guess we're camping out again," Hyunjin said, grabbing a pillow from the couch and flopping onto the floor sadly.

Chan nodded, already unrolling his sleeping bag. "There's enough room if we spread out. Bedrooms for Jisung's group, living room for the rest."

Hyunjin groaned dramatically. "Why do we always get the floor?"

"Because it's your turn," Minho replied without missing a beat, earning a laugh from Jisung.

As everyone settled into their makeshift beds, Minho glanced over at Jisung, who was sitting on the couch with his guitar again. "You working on something new?" Minho asked.

Jisung nodded, his fingers brushing lightly over the strings. "Yeah. Just an idea."

"Play it," Minho said, moving closer and sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of Jisung.

Jisung hesitated, glancing around the room. The others were preoccupied—Jeongin and Hyunjin bickering over blankets since Hyunjin wanted Jeongin's, Chan and Seungmin debating the best way to roll a sleeping bag. Felix and Changbin were whispering quietly in their corner, their smiles soft and private.

With a deep breath, Jisung started playing. The melody was soft, tentative, but there was a rawness to it that caught Minho's attention. He listened intently, his gaze fixed on Jisung as the music filled the room.

When Jisung finished, Minho nodded. "It's good. You've got something there."

Jisung blinked, surprised by the praise. "Really?"

"Yeah," Minho said, his tone softer than usual. "Keep working on it."

Jisung felt a small warmth bloom in his chest, and for the first time in a while, he felt a flicker of confidence. "Thanks."

Minho gave him a rare smile, his eyes warm. "Anytime."

As the lights dimmed and the apartment grew quieter, Jisung found himself glancing over at Minho, who was stretched out in his sleeping bag nearby. Their eyes met briefly, and Minho gave him a small nod before closing his eyes.

Jisung smiled to himself, the tension of the past week finally starting to ease. He didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but for now, he felt okay. And that was enough.

———————

— A/N: Thank you guys for the support! Being almost at 800 reads is actually so diabolical to me

— Recommended song for this chapter: "Telepath" by Conan Gray